the diary of a goose girl(牧鹅女日记)-第15章
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disguises the perfect lydy）； I set out upon my travels； upborne by a lively
sense of amusement that was at least equal to my feeling that I was doing
Phoebe Heaven a good turn。
Prices in dressed poultry were fluctuating； but I had a copy of The
Trade Review； issued that very day； and was able to get some idea of
values and the state of the market as I jogged along。 The general
movement； I learned； was moderate and of a 〃selective〃 character。
Choice large capons and ducks were in steady demand； but I blushed for
my profession when I read that roasting chickens were running coarse；
staggy； and of irregular value。 Old hens were held firmly at sixpence；
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and it is my experience that they always have to be； at whatever price。
Geese were plenty； dull； and weak。 Old cocks；why don't they say
roosters？declined to threepence ha'penny on Thursday in sympathy with
fowls；and who shall say that chivalry is dead？ Turkeys were a trifle
steadier； and there was a speculative movement in limed eggs。 All this
was illuminating； and I only wished I were quite certain whether the
sympathetic old roosters were threepence ha'penny apiece； or a pound。
Everything happened as it should； on this first business journey of my
life； which is equivalent to saying that nothing happened at all。
Songhurst's Tea Rooms took five dozen eggs and told me to bring six
dozen the next week。 Argent's Dining Parlours purchased three pairs of
chickens and four rabbits。 The Six Bells found the last poultry somewhat
tough and tasteless； whereupon I said that our orders were more than we
could possibly fill； still I hoped we could go on 〃selling them；〃 as we
never liked to part with old customers； no matter how many new ones
there were。 Privately； I understood the complaint only too well； for I
knew the fowls in question very intimately。 Two of them were the
runaway rooster and the gadabout hen that never wanted to go to bed with
the others。 The third was Cannibal Ann。 I should have expected them to
be tough； but I cannot believe they were lacking in flavour。
The only troublesome feature of the trip was that Mrs。 Sowerbutt's
lodgers had suddenly left for London and she was unable to take the four
rabbits as she had hoped； but as an offset to that piece of ill…fortune the
Coke and Coal Yard and the Bicycle Repairing Rooms came out into the
street； and； stepping up to the trap； requested regular weekly deliveries of
eggs and chickens； and hoped that I would be able to bring them myself。
And so； in a happy frame of mind； I turned out of the Buffington main
street； and was jogging along homeward； when a very startling thing
happened； namely； a whole verse of the Bailiff's Daughter of Islington：…
〃And as she went along the high road； The weather being hot and dry；
She sat her down upon a green bank； And her true love came riding by。〃
That true lovers are given to riding by； in ballads； I know very well；
but I hardly supposed they did so in real life； especially when every
precaution had been taken to avert such a catastrophe。 I had told the
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Barbury Green postmistress； on the morning of my arrival； not to give the
Thornycroft address to anybody whatsoever； but finding； as the days
passed； that no one was bold enough or sensible enough to ask for it； I
haughtily withdrew my prohibition。 About this time I began sending
envelopes； carefully addressed in a feigned hand； to a certain person at the
Oxenbridge Hydro。 These envelopes contained no word of writing； but
held； on one day； only a bit of down from a hen's breast； on another； a
goose…quill； on another； a glossy tail…feather； on another； a grain of corn；
and so on。 These trifles were regarded by me not as degrading or
unmaidenly hints and suggestions； but simply as tests of intelligence。
Could a man receive tokens of this sort and fail to put two and two
together？ I feel that I might possibly support life with a domineering and
autocratic husband；and there is every prospect that I shall be called upon
to do so；but not with a stupid one。 Suppose one were linked for ever to
a man capable of asking；〃Did YOU send those feathers？ 。 。 。 How was I
to guess？ 。 。 。 How was a fellow to know they came from you？ 。 。 。 What
on earth could I suppose they meant？ 。 。 。 What clue did they offer me as to
your whereabouts？ 。 。 。 Am I a Sherlock Holmes？〃No； better eternal
celibacy than marriage with such a being！
These were the thoughts that had been coursing through my goose… girl
mind while I had been selling dressed poultry； but in some way they had
not prepared me for the appearance of the aforesaid true love。
To see the very person whom one has left civilisation to avoid is
always more or less surprising； and to make the meeting less likely；
Buffington is even farther from Oxenbridge than Barbury Green。 The
creature was well mounted （ominous； when he came to override my
caprice！） and he looked bigger； and； yes； handsomer； though that doesn't
signify； and still more determined than when I saw him last； although
goodness knows that timidity and feebleness of purpose were not in
striking evidence on that memorable occasion。 I had drawn up under the
shade of a tree ostensibly to eat some cherries； thinking that if I turned my
face away I might pass unrecognised。 It was a stupid plan； for if I had
whipped up the mare and driven on； he of course； would have had to
follow； and he has too much dignity and self…respect to shriek
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recriminations into a woman's ear from a distance。
He approached with deliberation； reined in his horse； and lifted his hat
ceremoniously。 He has an extremely shapely head； but I did not show
that the sight of it melted in the least the ice of my resolve； whereupon we
talked； not very freely at first；men are so stiff when they consider
themselves injured。 However； silence is even more embarrassing than
conversation； so at length I begin：…
Bailiff's Daughter。〃It is a lovely day。〃
True Love。〃Yes； but the drought is getting rather oppressive； don't
you think？〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃The crops certainly need rain； and the feed is
becoming scarce。〃
True Love。〃Are you a farmer's wife？〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃Oh no！ that is a promotion to look forward to； I
am now only a Goose Gi
